Recently at an evening meditation group a young lady was questioning religion.
She had been doing Bible study with a lady who was a friend and was feeling
confusion and pressure about the church. Several in the group had comments and
I chose not to offer mine to further confuse the issue. One person had a very
negative attitude about organized religion and obviously some unresolved issues
due to the amount of hostility exhibited.
Another person, the one who actually started the discussion by saying she was
there to work on labels — referring to labels attached to oneself by others.
She had experienced negative attitudes from family and others toward her psychic
abilities since childhood.
The issue seems to me to be one of control — organized religion seeks to
control its members. It is a man-made organization and while devoted to God
its hierarchy seeks control after all that's where it gets it money and power.
Organized religion teaches us God is out there. They may say God
is within all things, but their actions and behavior, creates the belief that
He is out there, distant and we need them to get to Him.
Spirituality on the other hand lives the God within.
A connection to the light and love of God that dwells within all of us.
With this come the knowing that God experiences through us. He
see through our eyes, feels our emotions and knows our thoughts.He is
not a god of judgement as religion teaches for He created this Universe
as a free-will zone where all is allowed. We learn through our
experiences and feelings. We know joy from experiencing sadness. We recognize
good after having experienced evil. We know the reality we desire to create
after experiencing the negativity.
Religion wants us to follow its teachings to get to heaven. yet, if we
accept the God within us we can experience the joy, peace and harmony
of heaven now. For our connection to God is heaven. Granted we
still live in a world of strife, but knowing and experiencing our connection
to God lets us move through this world and its pain and horrors do not
touch our spirit for we know that others are learning through these experiences
and moving forward on their paths.
Religion is man's idea of God. Spirituality is God.
I am not saying we must disregard religion. It too is a path and has brought
many truths to our lives. I am saying we cannot let it dictate to us that it is
the only way.
For as the Pharisees and Sadducees rejected Jesus, most of organized
religion rejects the path of the Mystic (those who believe they need no
intermediary to connect with God).
A quote from the poet Kahlil Gibran about truth I believe says it all very
succinctly.
“God made truth with many doors to welcome every believer who knocks
on them.”
Kahlil Gibran
A comparison of all major religions show that they are more alike than they
are different. The spiritual truths are the same — perhaps phrased a little
differently. The differences lie in the man-made dogma and traditions.
Unfortunately too many times the emphasis is placed there and not on the truths
of God.
Examine Protestantism and take the truth that each denomination is based on;
combine that truth with the others and I believe you will be closer to the whole
truth.
One major difference I have seen between Religion and Spirituality is:
Religion says, Believe our way or you are going to hell. The only way
God will accept you is if you believe our way.
Spirituality on the other hand says, Here is a truth — accept it if it
resonates with you. If it brings you peace and feels right to you. If
it troubles you, let it go. If you cannot accept it, let it go. Spirituality
does not try to control you. It does not limit God, for limiting you
limits God.
A precept I have used for many years is Paul's admonition in Thessalonians
I: 5:21,
“Prove all things and hold fast that which is good.”
By doing this, I have picked truths from many sources which I have
incorporated into my belief system.
Many people that are actively seeking a spiritual path have a great deal
of hostility toward organized religion because of their unpleasant experiences
with it. That is a sad commentary for and entity (the church) that is supposed
to teach love. But that is exactly what has and is happening all over the
country. Organized religion is living out its fear of losing control by
pressuring people to believe its dogma and doctrines and it fails to see that
in its rigidity it is alienating the very people it is purported to help.
However, those who are openingly hostile toward the church need to examine
their feelings, acknowledge and release them. For when they rail against the
church especially when speaking with someone who is in a state of confusion
about the church's role in their lives, they do no service for that person—
only adding to the confusion. For the church (organized religion), is a path
and a learning experience. And, all paths lead to God.
For many of us, the church was our first knowledge of God and has
been a stepping stone to the place where we are in our spiritual life. We must
know that all experience is a part of what we are.
When we were working on the Angels' Loft first newsletter, I was
questioning in my mind what to do about the promotion of events that had to do
with Wicca. I talked to The Lord asking Him if it was wrong to
promote it. I received the following message from Him.
10/16/94
“Wicca is not wrong it is only another way — another path.
All paths lead to God, the Source, the One.
Organized religion limits God, restricts Himto a box.
Places Him out there externally. In Truth, He is within
each one of you; internally within the heart; within the Spirit. Begin with
in and work your way out to encompass all that is — all that exists.
It is not possible to start outside and attempt to bring all that
is — within; there is no room for it. It becomes distorted
out of synch. It is too great. By starting within and expanding the Heart,
it can then encompass all that is — all that exits.
So, this is my belief about the church — organized religion —
it has its place and its time. At some point a person may have to remove
themselves from it in order to pursue the path of their heart—the
path of at-one-ment with God, the Prime Creator, the Source, the Tao.
Edwina K. Brady
